The editors of this magazine are awfully lucky. We get to test the latest, greatest gear—superlight running shoes with memory-foam sockliners, biodegradable midsoles, and multiple gel pads; silky apparel that wicks, breathes, fights stink, and even looks fast; and anatomically correct socks that coddle the contours of our left and right feet. And when we're done testing, we eagerly await the arrival of the next batch. The typical runner isn't so lucky. Anyone who's ever leafed through our reviews knows the really good gear isn't cheap. Sure, our sport is famously simple, and unlike cyclists and golfers, we don't lust for anything that might push us into a second mortgage. But still, it's easy to go to your local specialty store and spend $125 on running shoes, $100 for a shirt and a pair of shorts; heck, you can drop $20 for blister-fighting socks alone. The tally for a full outfit could add up to $300 if you're a woman with a quality running bra on your shopping list. That's a nice chunk of change—especially with the economy in the tank.

So that got us thinking: Can you get good gear on a much tighter budget? How much quality gets sacrificed as price points fall? Like everyone else, we hunt for deals online and in strip malls—but usually for diapers and digital cameras and dog food, not stability trainers. We wanted to see how low we could go and still get serviceable gear. Thus, we sent 10 editors (five men, five women) to four big-box stores—Walmart, Target, Sears, and Sports Authority—and online to Amazon.com to see if they could buy shoes, socks, shorts, and a shirt for just $100. As a control, we also had an editor visit a local specialty store to shop on the same stiff budget.

For a bunch of running-gear geeks, this was going to be tough. But along the way, the editors learned some hard lessons, had some laughs, developed some blisters, and found a few diamonds in the rough. Most of all, we were reminded that value is more than a number on a price tag.

Target

RW editors Tish Hamilton and Sean Downey try to assemble a complete running outfit for $100 or less at Target.

The Tough Go Shopping

Let's get one thing straight right away—don't expect much help if you're shopping for gear at big chain stores. They may offer famously cheery greetings and stress-free return policies, but this personalized assistance doesn't apply to running gear. You're flying solo the minute you walk in the door. Conversely, at the one specialty store we visited, our tester brought two pairs of shoes from a clearance table to a young clerk, who asked three quick questions (about the tester's foot, weekly mileage, and past shoe purchases) and then made an authoritative recommendation. In less than 60 seconds, that clerk offered more tangible help than our 10 big-box investigators experienced, combined. One salesman at Sports Authority could identify which Asics models contained forefoot gel, but no staffers at any chain appeared capable of directing our shoppers toward odor-fighting shirts or a shoe that would offer extra stability. Questions about pronation were met with awkward stares. At least at Amazon, our testers could read promotional copy and customer reviews before making a decision.

On the bright side, our intrepid shoppers found lots and lots of inexpensive gear. They bought $7 technical shirts. They found socks for less than $2. At Walmart and Target, they couldn't buy running shoes that cost more than $27. At those two giants, our testers simply couldn't blow their $100 budget. So each of them walked out of the double doors with bonus schwag—a pair of sunglasses, a sports watch, a pound of French Roast, and a huge jug of lemon-lime Gatorade—and money to spare. Meanwhile, at both Sears and Sports Authority, more than half of the running shoes were on sale. So given their tight budgets, our testers took advantage of the deep discounts.

Depending on the product category and the store, selection was all over the map. On the upside, our shoppers were able to find decent-looking poly shirts at every store—apparently America craves "technical" tees. Target carried apparel in cool colors and had trendy-looking running skirts. Cheap socks with at least some polyester and/or spandex were everywhere, too. Beyond that, the options could be pretty scary. Sports Authority and Amazon were the only retailers that sold men's and women's running shorts. Otherwise the choices were unlined basketball shorts, swim trunks, and some capri-length offerings that looked better suited for yard work than speedwork.

Shoe selection was also variable. We were surprised by the quality choices at Sears and Sports Authority. These stores carry models from Asics, New Balance, Adidas, and other top brands; in most cases, the shoes are part of no-frills product lines that aren't sold through specialty retailers (nor reviewed in RW's shoe buyer's guides). Generally speaking, the shoes looked minimalist but solid, offering decent cushioning and little (if any) stability. Target and Walmart, by contrast, carry shoes from Starter, Champion, and a few brands we've never heard of. Our testers were nervous to see so many unfamiliar brands, such low prices, and a glaring lack of foam and rubber. In fact, many editors bought products labeled as trail shoes because they looked like they had more cushioning than the road models. There just weren't any good choices.

That was hardly the case at Amazon. The best thing about shopping on Amazon is the huge selection. And the worst thing about shopping on Amazon is the huge selection. You can use the site's search tool to sift through the vast running-shoe choices (currently totaling 6,041), to find, say, size 9 Saucony motion-control running shoes between $40 and $60. But even detailed searches could overwhelm our shoppers. In many cases, they would click forward several screens only to learn that the product was out of stock in that size, or that the price had changed, or that the $14 shorts required a $20 shipping fee. Much of the stuff peddled on Amazon is sold by partner merchants, so a shopper picking five products from five different vendors could be looking at five distinct shipping charges. That's a deal breaker if you're on a $100 budget, so our testers each blew a couple hours piecing together an ensemble that didn't go into the red. On the upside, patient shoppers can find Amazon a good source for inventory that's a year or two old and deeply discounted. One of our editors came in far enough under budget to throw three hefty tubs of Vaseline into his shopping cart. (Chafing issues, we hope.)

Yes, bargain-hunting can be surreal. Shoppers at Walmart stared as one editor jogged through the DVD aisle to see which of his shoe options had the least bad cushioning. At Target, one (petite) editor was spotted rifling through the girl's section after she saw identical technical tees that were priced a couple bucks lower there. And at Sears, the editor-in-chief of this magazine anxiously scoured a sales rack for a pair of synthetic briefs after being told that wearing $40 technical briefs under $4 basketball shorts would violate the spirit of this investigation. He found his briefs, but they pushed him 46 cents over budget.

Sears

RW Editor-In-Chief David Willey and editor Susan Rinkunas try to find a complete running outfit for $100 or less at Sears.

For the record, our specialty-store shopper couldn't hit his budget either. He picked his shoes off a clearance table, and bought the cheapest shirt, shorts, and socks he could find. The final tally was about $130. Still, he was able to get some valuable guidance with his shoe choice and a pair of Sugoi shorts that are better and more functional than anything else our testers brought.

In the end, our other testers successfully got shoes and outfits on their $100 budgets. Most of them bought a couple of items that seemed promising—and a few that looked pretty iffy. But only after some tough on-the-road testing could we separate the sweet deals from the lemons.

Tested to the Limit

Our judges were tough on their gear. In fact, after a few weeks of testing, they solidly recommended only 13 of the 44 items we bought. If you do the math, that means 70 percent of the gear didn't make the grade.

Although we'd expected to test disappointing products, we were surprised at how they failed. One editor liked a Champion Texture Tee that she got at the Sports Authority—until it literally began unraveling after one spin in the washing machine. Another tester, a long-time lover of New Balance running shoes, threw out a pair she'd ordered from Amazon after one trail run because of "nonexistent cushioning." One judge was stretching after a sweaty run in his black NordicTrack shorts (from Sears), and got up to see a purplish butt-print on his towel. And then there was the editor who had fallen in love with her cute pink running skirt from Target, until she slipped it on for a run and discovered it had a peculiar seam on the inside of the short lining that lead to crotch irritation, which quickly turned into overall irritation.

But most items were just quietly disappointing—apparel that didn't fit right or breathe well; socks that were too cottony or thick; shoes that were overly firm and had poor arch support. Interestingly, many testers noted that their budget stuff won style points even if it couldn't handle the rigors of running. One editor, for instance, said that she got compliments about the shoes and shorts she had bought at Walmart and that she'd happily wear them to the market or in the garden—but never again on a run.

But enough about the losers—let's talk about the winners. After testing was done, our editors gave a stamp of approval to four technical T-shirts; two pairs of shorts, socks, and shoes; and three bras. While these judges were quick to point out that these products didn't match the performance and quality of more expensive alternatives, they did offer more than enough comfort, performance, and durability—in other words, real value—to earn a spot in their gear rotation.

The $55 Difference

What makes one shoe more expensive than another?

To the naked eye it's sometimes hard to tell just what you're paying for in a state-of-the-art running shoe. To help determine which features are worth the splurge, we asked our resident shoe expert Warren Greene to analyze the components of two Asics running shoes, the $70 Gel-Equation 3 and the $125 Gel-Nimbus 11.

Upper FitLots of stretchy overlays and an asymmetrical lacing pattern should result in a more comfortable fit in the Nimbus, but the Equation's open forefoot can also feel less restricting.

Midsole WeightThe Nimbus is outfitted with a new midsole foam that is lighter and lasts longer than older foams, while the midsole in the Equation uses cushioning materials that were prevalent in Asics's top of the line shoes a few years ago.

Extra GELThe Nimbus has more Gel in the heel, and has a Gel unit in the forefoot (the Equation does not). This should translate into more resilient cushioning that's also more durable.

Outsole DesignThe Nimbus's segmented outsole matches the places where the foot actually flexes, but the difference in its ride versus the Equation's more traditional outsole might be too subtle to notice. The Nimbus has a type of outsole rubber that won't wear down as fast as the rubber in the Equation.

Priced to Move

Our picks for the best bargain running gear

ShirtsIt's relatively easy to find inexpensive synthetic tees that are comfortable and do a decent job wicking moisture. These shirts don't match the breathability, durability, feel, and styling of $50 alternatives, but several editors admitted that they'd rather have a few good, cheap shirts than one fancy one.MEN: Starter Athletic Short Sleeve Tee $7.50* The boxy build of this shirt fits loose, but it doesn't chafe or feel stiff like cheaper tech tees. starter.comWOMEN: NordicTrack Performance Mesh Tee $10* The long cut of this V-neck provides more coverage and stood out from other shirts. nordictrack.com

ShortsThis turned out to be the toughest category in the test. Even if you're trying to outfit yourself on a budget, we recommend synthetic shorts that have a liner and cut that work for running.MEN: Nike DriFit Switchback $24* Yes, these seven-inch shorts fit loose, but they have a liner that gives them an edge on a budget. nikerunning.comWOMEN: Champion Double Dry Sport Short $20* We liked the pocket and liner of these simple shorts. championusa.com

SocksSome of our less-picky testers found cotton/poly blend socks that they'd happily use for runs that aren't too long. Other editors noted that there's no other category in which spending a little more gets you a noticeably better option.MEN: C9 by Champion Heel Shield $2* The C9s don't hug your feet like fancier socks, but they have mesh above the toes to enhance air flow. c9bychampion.comWOMEN: Danskin Medium Density $2.50* These low-cut socks are thick enough to provide soft cushioning without swaddling your feet in sweat. danskin.com

ShoesOur testing indicates that you can't get an adequate running shoe for less than $40. Around that price point, we found a couple well-made shoes on sale that offered decent cushioning and fit. If you need extra cushioning or have any issue that makes it tough to find the perfect shoe, then you're going to be better served at a specialty retailer. Most people need help finding the right pair of shoes, and you're definitely not going to get it at a discount store.MEN: Asics Gel-Equation 2 $40* This year-old version of the Equation has the kind of plush ride that wasn't found in cheaper no-name brands. asicsrunning.comWOMEN: Brooks Axiom 2 $45* This two-year-old shoe offers more support and softer cushioning than any other bargain shoe we tested. brooksrunning.com

TargetThe Good: Better color choices than Walmart or Sears; low pricesThe Bad: Worst shoe selection in this test; no running shorts for menThe Ugly: A flat-footed clodder was too scared to do a five-miler on pavement in a pair of $21 shoes

SearsThe Good: Good selection of name-brand shoes and technical clothing for menThe Bad: Not much non-yoga technical gear for women; poor sock choicesThe Ugly: Asked to pick out a supportive shoe, salesperson suggested one with cooler-looking treads

Sports AuthorityThe Good: Best overall selection; salesperson knew a bit about running shoesThe Bad: Hard to stay on budget; socks in at least six different locationsThe Ugly: The salesperson proclaiming that the best running shoes are "the expensive ones"

AmazonThe Good: Almost limitless selection that includes lots of discounted year-old name brandsThe Bad: Too many choices; inability to try on products; shipping costsThe Ugly: Awful $1.49 socks that were FedExed to our office from China

A Decent $15 Sports Bra?

Surprisingly, yes

We asked five editors to test cheap jog bras, and several tops earned good reviews. In general, testers concluded that the bargain bras couldn't match the support, comfort, and venting of costlier tops, but were surprisingly adequate. Here are the two bras that scored highest.

C9 by Champion Seamless Racerback Bra ($17)This bra comes in vibrant colors and is made of a nylon/spandex blend that offers a snug fit and moderate support. Note: It runs large. c9bychampion.com

Fruit of the Loom V-Neck Racerback ($14)This two-layer, no-frills bra has a thick feel and good support. Seams in the shoulder straps could cause some chafing on long runs. fruitoftheloom.com